Traveling to Cuba for Tourism Was Always Illegal

First, let’s clear up an important misconception real quick. Even with the openings that Obama’s Cuba policy previously created, traveling to Cuba from the U.S. for the sole purpose of tourism was and still is illegal.

Even before Trump’s announcement, U.S. citizens were only authorized to travel to Cuba for one of twelve reasons: family visits, official government business, journalistic activity, professional research or meetings, educational activity, religious activity, public performances or athletic competitions, humanitarian projects that support the Cuban people, and a few other very specific purposes.

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Trump’s Tightening of Cuba Travel Policies Closes a Loophole

Many travelers got around the no tourism rule with what’s called “individual people-to-people” travel, which involves signing up with an organized tour through a school, artist commune, or volunteer project. It’s a legal loophole that took advantage of a law that wasn’t as clearly defined as it could have been.

But Trump’s forthcoming changes will be closing that loophole for the time being. Americans will no longer be able to visit Cuba without a specific license from the U.S. government—issued for one of the reasons mentioned above—or without traveling with an organized “people-to-people group.” Basically, that means you and your partner can’t just book a flight to Cuba, travel there on your own, grab a hotel room, hang out with a tour guide for a day, then do whatever you want for a week.

Once the new Cuba sanctions go into place, you’ll only be able to visit the country if you book trips through educational travel organizations that offer group tours, like Cuba Educational Travel, Center for Cuban Studies, and Smithsonian Journeys. Or you can book a cruise through cruise lines like Carnival, Ponant, and Pearl Seas. But again, any time you spend on shore will be with a guided group, and both group tours and cruises will cost you a pretty penny (like, thousands of dollars). You’ll also still need a visa (also known as a tourist card) to enter Cuba, but that’s usually included with your group tour package.

You Can Still Visit Cuba for Specific Reasons and Buy Cuban Cigars (For Now)